Rivals TSMC and Samsung join hands for HBM4 development
Dan Kochpatcharin, Head of Ecosystem and Alliance Management at TSMC, revealed that the two companies are working together on developing a buffer-less HBM4 chip.
The world’s top foundry, TSMC, will collaborate with rival Samsung, the world’s second-largest foundry, on the development of HBM4, their first such tie-up in the AI chip sector, according to reports by the Korea Economic Daily and Business Korea.
In order to advance in HBM, Samsung is preparing more than 20 customized solutions in collaboration with various foundry partners.
On September 5, Dan Kochpatcharin, Head of Ecosystem and Alliance Management at TSMC, revealed that the two companies are working together on developing a buffer-less HBM4 chip, according to TrendForce, based on reporting by the Korean media outlets.
Buffer-less HBM removes the buffer used to prevent electrical issues and manage voltage distribution, which Samsung aims to introduce with HBM4. The innovation is likely to boost power efficiency by 40% and reduce latency by 10% compared to current models.
While Samsung can offer a full range of HBM4 services, including memory production, foundry, and advanced packaging, it aims to utilize TSMC’s technology to attract more clients, the reports said.
The manufacturing process for HBM4 differs from earlier generations. The logic die, which functions as the brain of an HBM chip, could now be made by foundry companies instead of memory manufacturers.
In April, HBM leader SK Hynix announced a tie-up with TSMC on HBM4 development and next-gen packaging technology.
